A Moment To Remember Some Swim Coaches

I normally want to leave you with some things to think about in terms of your writing on a Friday, but today, I feel I need to do something different.

A couple of days ago, here in Washington, we had a small plane crash into a mountain just outside of Seattle. All three passengers on board were killed. Now, I have to say, when I hear of any person dying, it always shakes me up a little. In this case, it really hit home. Did I know the people? Not directly. But I knew of them and I knew what they did.

Two of the passengers were swim coaches working with a local USA Swim Team that practices at the King County Aquatic Center where my kids swim team practices. Along with that, they were both high school swim coaches getting ready to take kids to the state meet this weekend.

Being a coach is a tireless job but one that has a huge impact on so many youth. These kids come day in and day out to practice, giving all they can to score one more point, to drop a few seconds, or run a few extra yards. And for many of these kids, that coach is sometimes the only person they can really go to if there is a problem or a concern.

Today, we are now missing two coaches who have touched so many youth during their time as a coach, teaching and mentor. Unfortunately, we can't tell them thank you now. That moment is passed. But, for those that we still have around. Those coaches, teachers and mentors that still touch our lives and the lives of our kids, we have to remember to say thank you for all that they do.

So I guess I did have some project for you to take care of this weekend...

And for me, my public thank you for the time and effort you have put forth for my kids to make them a little better, a little faster and a little smarter goes out to the following (in no particular order other than how I remembered the list). You have been a HUGE impact on my kids lives!:

Doug Djang
Keith Ure
Nate Hawthorne
Thomas Cunningham
Jon Hiatt
Amanda Swanson
John Tacke
Kim Michaelson Estrada
Lisa, Kelsey, Michaela, Angie
The Dance Coaches at the Mel Korum YMCA
Shawn Jones
Diana Eckstom

And like the Academy Awards, I am sure I am missing a few. You know who you are and my heartfelt thanks go out to you too.